Where to stay in Varna comes down to three bases: the city itself for a short city break, Golden Sands for a full beach resort with big hotels, or St Constantine and Helena for a spa-led stay. City hotels here are small, while the resort hotels are large, with more pools and kids facilities.
Where to stay in Varna: the three bases
The Varna area gives you three quite different bases, and the right one depends on how you want to spend your days. The table lists eight hotels by base, and all of them hold the top official category in Bulgaria's national tourist register.
Meal plans vary widely. One city hotel offers breakfast and the other publishes no plan, Golden Sands runs from half board to ultra all-inclusive, and the spa resort offers breakfast or half board. BB is bed and breakfast, HB half board, AI all-inclusive and UAI ultra all-inclusive. If you want an all-inclusive resort near Varna, see all-inclusive hotels around Varna.
| Hotel | Base | Official category | Board | Rooms | Highlights | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graffit Gallery Design Hotel | Varna city | 5-star | Not published | Not published | City address on Knyaz Boris I Blvd | View hotel |
| Grand Hotel London | Varna city | 5-star | BB | Not published | 24-hour reception | View hotel |
| Meliá Grand Hermitage | Golden Sands | 5-star | AI | Not published | 100 m to the beach, slides, kids club | View hotel |
| International Hotel Casino & Tower Suites | Golden Sands | 5-star | HB | 325 | Spa, casino, rooftop terrace | View hotel |
| Hotel Admiral | Golden Sands | 5-star | UAI | Not published | AquaBliss spa, indoor mineral pool | View hotel |
| HVD Riviera Beach | Golden Sands | 5-star | UAI | Not published | Mineral pools, medical spa, private beach | View hotel |
| Grifid Noa | Golden Sands | 5-star | AI | 496 to 503 | 10 m to the beach | View hotel |
| Ensana Aquahouse Health & Spa Hotel | St Constantine and Helena | 5-star | BB, HB | 411 | 11 mineral pools, 6,000 m² wellness and spa | View hotel |
Not published by the hotel
Varna city
Stay in the city if a city address matters more to you than a resort pool. The two city hotels listed are small, and neither lists a pool or spa in its published facts, so they suit travellers who plan to spend their days out.
Graffit Gallery Design Hotel, at 65 Knyaz Boris I Blvd, does not publish a room total and is not adults-only. It does not publish its meal plans, so check what your rate includes. Check availability at Graffit Gallery Design Hotel.
Grand Hotel London, at 3 Musala St, does not publish a room total and has a reception open around the clock. It is not adults-only. Check availability at Grand Hotel London.
For a wider view of the city and coast, see top-category hotels around Varna.
Golden Sands
Golden Sands is the base for a classic beach holiday, with big hotels, pools and kids facilities. Five of the eight hotels listed are here. Not every one of them publishes a room total. See more in Golden Sands or among the Golden Sands luxury hotels.
- Meliá Grand Hermitage: 100 m from the beach, with a private beach, three outdoor pools, an indoor mineral hot-water pool, water slides, a rope park, a spa and a kids club. Check availability
- Grifid Noa: 10 m from the beach, the shortest published walk among these hotels, though it lists few other facilities. Check availability
- HVD Riviera Beach: outdoor mineral-water pools, an indoor thermal mineral pool, a medical spa, a private beach and a conference centre. Check availability
- Hotel Admiral: the AquaBliss spa, an indoor mineral pool and an outdoor pool with a children's section. Check availability
- International Hotel Casino & Tower Suites: a spa and wellness centre, indoor and outdoor pools, the Skyfall rooftop terrace, a casino, a kids club and eight meeting rooms. Check availability
St Constantine and Helena
St Constantine and Helena is the base for a spa-led stay. Ensana Aquahouse Health & Spa Hotel lists 6,000 m² of wellness and spa space, 11 mineral pools, five saunas and a medical spa, plus a water slide, a kids club and a playground. It is family-friendly, not adults-only, and the hotel gives 411 rooms and suites. Check availability at Ensana Aquahouse Health & Spa Hotel or see more in St Constantine and Helena.
Sights and transport costs by base
Costs differ by base, mostly in fares and museum tickets.
Varna city. The Archaeological Museum, where the ticket includes the Varna gold, charges adults 10 EUR and pupils 4 EUR. The Roman Thermae cost adults 4 EUR, and under 7s go free at both. Triumf, Varna Airport's taxi partner, estimates about 11 EUR from the airport to the centre.
Golden Sands. In summer, bus 409 covers its full route from the airport in about 50 minutes, for 1.00 EUR on a 60-minute machine ticket or 0.77 EUR on a 90-minute TTickets app ticket. Triumf puts the taxi at about 27 EUR. Aladzha Monastery, near the resort, is 5 EUR for adults.
St Constantine and Helena. A Triumf taxi from the airport is estimated at about 19 EUR.
Dolphinarium, in Varna's Sea Garden. Adult show seats are 14 EUR from 1 November to 31 March, 19 EUR in spring and autumn and 26 EUR from 15 June to 15 September; children aged 2 to 12 pay 11, 14 or 23 EUR. There are no shows on Mondays.
Prices checked October 2026.
Choosing your base
- Short city break: Varna city, accepting that the hotels are small and list no pools.
- Beach week with children: Golden Sands, for slides, kids clubs and the widest spread of meal plans, from half board to ultra all-inclusive.
- Spa and mineral pools: St Constantine and Helena, with breakfast or half board, or one of the Golden Sands hotels with mineral pools.
- Spa time across the area: see spa hotels around Varna.
- Families: see family hotels around Varna.
Ready to choose? Compare every option on the Varna area hub.
Questions
Is it better to stay in Varna city or Golden Sands?
It depends on the trip. Choose Varna city for a short city break, and Golden Sands for a beach holiday with pools and kids facilities. The two city hotels do not publish a room total. Among the Golden Sands hotels, only some publish a room total, so ask each hotel if size matters to you.
Which area suits families?
Golden Sands and St Constantine and Helena suit families most. Meliá Grand Hermitage in Golden Sands lists water slides, a rope park and a kids club, and Ensana Aquahouse Health & Spa Hotel lists a water slide, a kids club and a playground. Neither city hotel publishes any family facilities, so ask before you book with children.
Where can I find a spa hotel near Varna?
Look at St Constantine and Helena first, then Golden Sands. Ensana Aquahouse Health & Spa Hotel lists 6,000 m² of wellness and spa space with 11 mineral pools. In Golden Sands, HVD Riviera Beach has a medical spa with balneology, and Hotel Admiral has the AquaBliss spa with an indoor mineral pool.
Are there small hotels in Varna?
Ask Grand Hotel London and Graffit Gallery Design Hotel which room types suit your stay. Both are in Varna itself rather than a beach resort, so they suit a city break. Ask the hotel which room types are free for your dates before you book.
Which hotel near Varna is closest to the beach?
Grifid Noa in Golden Sands, at 10 m, is the closest of the listed hotels that publish a figure. Meliá Grand Hermitage gives 100 m and HVD Riviera Beach lists a private beach. The city hotels do not publish beach distances, so ask how far the sea is before you book.
